March 2012

It is always a joy to spot the first signs of spring in the garden and there is a definite sense that the season is changing! Winter is fading and spring is arriving with its full complement of colour. This mood is also reflected in the nations where there are signs of change as Syria battles for its destiny and Iran approaches parliamentary elections this month.  As we read Hebrews 12, which speaks of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken being revealed in times of upheaval, we are encouraged to “receive” this Kingdom in an atmosphere of worship.  The sense of this Greek word for receive (paralambano) is very much an active “taking hold” of these circumstances and not just a passive sitting back and waiting to receive what comes to us with a fatalistic attitude.  God exhorts us in Psalm 2:8 “ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”  So in this season which nations are you asking God about?

The first weekend in February here in the UK we had the constant threat of heavy snow all weekend. However, we travelled all around North Devon and escaped any real sign of snow as the weather front moved north making our travel easy. However, on our drive home we suddenly hit the snow just 5 miles away from Oxford and realised how good God had been as the roads were snowy and icy!  While in Devon we had the privilege of connecting with several different churches plus the North Devon and Exeter houses of prayer where we led a training morning for their leadership teams.  We also held an evening meeting in Barnstaple on the Thursday evening before traveling on to Ilfracombe for meetings and a seminar on Friday night and Saturday morning.  We taught on prayer and understanding the prophetic season we are living in.  It was so good to see the churches working together to host these meetings and we were blessed by the warm hospitality and friendship.  From there we moved on to Exeter for an afternoon and evening’s training on hearing the voice of God and growing in the prophetic.  God spoke powerfully to individuals in the ministry times and there was a very deep sense of His presence as we worshipped together.  On the Sunday we were blessed to preach at Jubilee Church in Crediton and at Maranatha Church.  In spite of struggling with a bad cold Rachel was able to keep her voice and preach powerfully.

Having been on the west coast of the nation, we then drove across to Felixstowe and the ‘east gate’ of the UK the following weekend.  We had a good weekend with Maidstone Road Baptist Church and enjoyed in-putting their leaders’ gathering and church.  We were blessed to see people touched through prophetic words and encouraged again that their voice in prayer matters and can bring profound change to a community.  It is exciting when Christians begin to find their confidence again.

It was wonderful to witness this in Norway too where we spoke at the National Pentecostal Leaders and Preachers conference in Haugesund, the homeland of the Viking kings and cradle of the first missionary churches in Norway.  The conference theme was “now is the time” and we spoke on being prepared to live a life devoted to God, with a consecrated life, mouth and message and the courage to stand up in times of adversity and be bold in asking for a nation.  It was amazing to see the power of God minister to people, strengthening them to stand and restoring their vision for their nation.  We also had a time with the city church leaders and spoke on how we handle times of betrayal and disappointment and how we keep perspective on the journey of faith.

From Norway we went to Harborne in Birmingham to speak at their prophetic conference training weekend.  On the Saturday evening we held a special event in Birmingham Cathedral called “Grace for the City” and spoke on the importance of getting a vision for shepherding our communities and cities and learning the sound of grace with truth in order to see transformation.  Although the evening was spiritually contested, we realised that we were strategically placed in the Midlands as a sign that God wants to revive the “heart” of the nation. It is time for Birmingham to once again lead the nation in prayer and prophetic declaration.

We then spoke at the three Sunday services held at St John’s Church, Harborne, and continued the theme of “Speak the Word”. Gordon, Helen and I each took one Sunday service. Again I was struck by the amazing people we have all over this nation of England.  It is so easy to get discouraged as we watch the pressure to push God out of our foundations but as we travel I realise that city after city is hiding incredible people who love Jesus.

So before we step into March, Helen and I will take a few days to study, write and read. We have preached hard this month so it will be good to have some time to think! Please pray for us as we write and prepare. This month has also been a time of real encouragement for Gordon as he launched MAHABBA. Suddenly God has begun to provide money, resources and help to get this project up and running. David has done an outstanding job this month of designing the logo and branding the “look” for Mahabba. Now it is the time to engage with people and share the vision. Many seem to be deeply touched by this vision. Gordon began to work formally for Mahabba UK on 1st February. Two days later someone pushed £3 into his hand and said “let’s break the blockage of giving from the UK towards Mahabba”. A few hours later another lady pushed £3 into his hand and said “let’s double the gift and see what God will do”. So that day in faith Gordon opened the Mahabba UK bank account and sowed £50 of our own money into it. The following day Gordon was visited by someone he had not seen for 7 years, who then gave Mahabba a significant cheque. Mahabba has now produced a brochure and has also just booked a full page advert that will go into the “30 Days Prayer for the Muslim World” during Ramadan, with a circulation of about 13,000 in the UK. The website is beginning to be designed at http://www.mahabba.co.uk but it will be a few weeks before it is fully active. Last week Gordon attended a very strategic conference called "Gather”, where 50-60 networks of church leaders from various cities came together to connect. It was a great opportunity to be able to present our brochure into all those networks across the UK! Now is the time for fund raising, and the formation of both Mahabba UK and Mahabba Network International. So God has really begun to bless Gordon.  However, please pray for the continued finance, an administrator to assist Gordon and the establishment of the Mahabba office in the next couple of months. 

As we look ahead to March, we are looking forward to taking further time to write in the first week of March.  We then fly to the USA for two conferences on the West coast and will be thrilled to be back with our friends in Oregon and then down in California. 

Thank you for faithfully praying for us. We are so blessed by the generosity and love that you consistently show us – THANK YOU!

Our love and thanks – Rachel & Gordon Hickson with Helen Azer & Glenda Renes.

February 2012

Christmas has come and gone and feels a long time ago now.  2012 has arrived and life is busy once more. As I have considered this New Year I have been so conscious that this is a new year full of opportunities that we could so easily miss if we do not keep our eyes on the correct perspectives. I believe that if the church takes its right place in society we can make such a positive contribution to the lives of people hurting in the present economy but we need to stand up and make a difference. Again and again I have felt God promise me that this year offers the opportunity to be a season of acceleration and multiplication into all He has planned for our lives if we will take the LEAPS of faith that are necessary to activate our potential. So make 2012 your LEAP year and accelerate into the purposes of God for your life!

We had a wonderful family time at Christmas.  It was great to have our son, David, and  his wife, Jenny, staying with us as well as my parents from the States. My brother, David, and his wife, Pippa, with their kids came to visit for a day on Friday 23rd December and we had lots of fun.  As usual we had plenty of food, some good walks, and time to do jigsaw puzzles.  Helen gave us a 500 piece jigsaw of Tim, Nicola and family made from a recent family photo and we had fun finding Cooper’s nose and Leila’s hair to complete the puzzle. We also had a near disaster when the en-suite bathroom sink blocked and then leaked and the ceiling on the stairs nearly collapsed! But the calamity was averted and it is all repaired and safe again! But it would not be Christmas without a drama!

On January 1st 2012 we were in Peterborough at Kingsgate Church and had the joy of preaching at their service. What an incredible way to start the new year.  God was so present in the service and the atmosphere was pregnant with expectation. Many people responded and several were saved – a great start to the year! The following week I was at Kingsgate Cambridge for the Sunday morning service and then drove back to Peterborough to encourage the Prayer Army, having spoken at a prayer breakfast in St Albans on the Saturday. It was a busy weekend but I was so encouraged by the fresh earnestness to pray and hear God in this season. 

Helen enjoyed joining the Southwest Youth Ministries’ Foundation Year trainees for their conference in Bridgewater and spent two days teaching them about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.  It was great to hear the stories of how they stepped out in the gift of prophecy and learned so much more about the incredible privilege of partnering with the Holy Spirit to touch the lives of young people in our communities.

After starting this year in the UK Helen and I were then back on a plane bound for the USA. Every day the weather forecast seemed to threaten our plans as there were predictions of heavy snow falls but our flights were all on time and we escaped the snow.  Our first stop was Goshen, the land of plenty in adversity! It seemed a very appropriate place to start the year. Here we ministered in a church from a Mennonite background that had been renewed. The power of God to touch lives was so evident and we spent time with the leadership team, prayer and prophetic teams and the church. People were so gracious and we left blessed!  

We then flew to Washington, DC, to spend 3 days praying for the USA and Capitol Hill. Again God opened doors and we connected with influential and special people who love their nation and pray for America. It was interesting to find ourselves in the USA during the Republican party’s leadership elections and be able to listen to the debates given by the candidates and get a sense of what the USA election will look like this year. 

We then flew to upstate New York and were in Catskill where we were able to bless a church that a few months ago was the centre of relief and help in their community. After tropical storm Irene hit their area, this church became the evacuation centre for the neighbourhood. This has had a profound impact on the church and they have become so community minded. We saw many people touched by God, people get saved and lives healed. 

Now we are back in the UK again. We just about managed to time adjust before driving to Birmingham to join the Betel gathering for their days of teaching on Friday 27th January. There is nothing like being in a room of young converts, hungry for God, who know they need help! The passion of these young men freed from a past of alcohol, drugs and prison, who now love God, is deeply moving. It is always a privilege to minister there. Finally Helen and I went to Chipping Campden to minister to 160 women at their annual conference. After the raw passion of the Betel men everything felt very “pink” and posh! But God deeply touched lives and impacted the women, calling out their sense of purpose and the privilege of this season.  I believe many were inspired to stand and make a difference in their communities. 

So we have lived life in the fast lane this month!  However, we did start the year with a three day retreat for prayer and planning.  We considered especially how we were stewarding the areas of ministry God has entrusted us with and which areas we feel encouraged to grow and expand in this season.  One of our biggest needs is time.  We know God is calling us to write a number of books and also upgrade our teaching and research on a number of key subjects.  Like the apostles in Acts who felt they needed to give themselves more to the teaching and preaching of the Word and to prayer so appointed deacons to assist in the day to day running of the ministry, we are looking to employ a UK administrative assistant as soon as possible to relieve us of some of the office responsibilities and schedule planning.  Please pray for the right team member to join us.  We are also trusting God for a greater release of finances to enable us to take more quality time away to write.  We will also be doing some prayer journeys to a number of missions nations this year and so will need extra provision for theses ventures.  While the world is downsizing and cutting back, we sense that many in the Kingdom will experience the supernatural provision of Heaven and find this becomes a season of growth, expansion and acceleration, with greater harvests for those who will step out in faith. 

We are delighted that the final copy edited draft of my new book Run Your Race is now with the publisher and will be published in July.  For a sneak preview of the audio version, do visit our new download’s pages on our website where you can listen to the latest talks too. 

February will see us traveling in the UK quite a bit, with weekends in Devon (Barnstaple, Ilfracombe, Exeter and Crediton), Kent and Birmingham.  We will also be in Norway for the National Pentecostal Leaders and Preachers conference where Rachel will be the main speaker for the weekend. 

Our love and thanks – Rachel & Gordon Hickson with Helen Azer & Glenda Renes.

November 2011

This weekend the clock falls back and winter time has officially come to England. As I look at the leaves turning golden and red, and the fruit-laden branches on the trees, with shock I realise 2011 is nearly finished. What a season of shaking in every area of life this year has been. However, as this year draws to a close we are also busy planting bulbs and seed for the next spring. In this picture there is a lesson: as we reap the harvest of one year we must also be investing time to plant seed for the next. I believe that God desires 2012 to be a year of plenty for the church but we must get busy planting in prayer for this harvest. 

October was a month where we were mainly based in the UK. We were all over the nation from the North East, London, south coast, Norfolk, North West and then Oxford! But although we covered miles in the car we were so encouraged to see there is an army of passionate people who love Jesus right across this nation. The month started with a trip to Norwich where we connected with a group of women leaders who have a vision for their region. It was inspiring to listen to the passion and strategy that God has given them for their area. We then ministered at a women’s conference all day Saturday and in the church on Sunday. God gave several prophetic words for people. who were amazed as the detail was accurate and the prophetic word had answered questions and given them direction. 

After Norwich we did venture outside the UK to Poland. Here we discovered we arrived in the nation at a pivotal time. It was their national election on the weekend we were in Warsaw. Although it was a women’s conference several men attended the days and we spent definite times in prayer for the government and elections. The church leaders had felt God had spoken to them about who should be the next leader for Poland and so were delighted when the results were announced and “their” man had won. Again as we preached we watched God’s word set people free. One leader testified that he had been struggling with depression and as I spoke revelation broke the power of this weariness and he felt free! We were encouraged to see many radical young people on fire with a passion for God and a desire to pray for their nation.

Back in England again we then travelled to the North West. We had a wonderful meeting in Bolton on the Thursday on our way to Cumbria. During the worship God spoke to me and said to watch out for EMILY. So I wrote this name, EMILY, down on my notepad and wondered if this referred to my niece, making a mental note that I should contact her later. However, after preaching, when I asked if there were any who wanted to know Jesus, immediately a young girl sitting in front of me put her hand up and exclaimed, “Yes I want to know God”. So I asked her name. “Emily”, she replied! So I told her God had spoken to me about Emily in the worship and showed her the name written on my note pad....she cried and as the note pad was passed around the church many others were touched. In the end 12 people responded and gave their lives to Jesus! What a wonderful God. We then continued to Cumbria, did a weekend with a group of women calling them to AWAKE and pray. On our way back to Oxford we stopped in Lancaster and ministered in Father’s House and were so delighted to see that the church had their own building at last. What a blessing!

In the last days of October we have mainly been busy in Oxford and London. Helen spent a day in east London speaking to the regional New Wine leaders network on the challenges and opportunities which postmodernism and secularism have created in our society and why Islam has been able to fill the vacuum in the West. Last Sunday Gordon was preaching at Oxford Bible Church, Helen was at St Michaels, Cumnor, and I was at Cornerstone Church. So we were touching three churches in Oxford on the same day! It was a wonderful day and I felt the sense of little acorns growing into MIGHTY OAKS! There are so many excellent people of faith waiting for a breakthrough in Oxford and I believe that these are exciting days. This last weekend of October we will be speaking in Reading on Saturday and then visiting Peterborough for the Sunday services. Then we get ready for a long trip away from the UK. Gordon goes to India and then Australia and Helen and I go to the USA. Helen returns to the UK in late November and will be ministering in Oxford while I fly on to join Gordon in Australia for both ministry and family time.

GORDON WRITES: This last month I spent five days in Kristiansand, Norway, in one of our favourite churches, preaching 13 times (!), mainly in their Bible School. The following weekend I was asked to join the Swedish Pioneer Church Planting conference in Stockholm: I felt like a granddad encouraging the next generation to go for it! It was great to reconnect with an Iranian lady who has led over 100 Muslims to the Lord. Next year we hope to draw together the key workers in Norway and Sweden who work with Muslims. 

Back in Oxford I am now ministering in a small Anglican church, St James Cowley, in the Islamic area of town, but also plan to preach and minister outside of Oxford too. This Saturday I ministered at a conference to help people on their journey through cancer. I am also the chairman of Love China International, which is now relaunching after its early years as BTJ Foundation, connecting with the Chinese missions in the Muslim world. We’ve been asked to help launch some philanthropic groups amongst the Chinese in the UK and Europe, who could then take the principles back to China to help them develop the whole culture of charitable giving which doesn’t exist in China at present. Even the Chinese Premier is keen to learn from the charitable groups in Europe about this area of philanthropy.

With Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching, we wanted to give you advance notice that our Heartcry online shop will have some great special offers and gift ideas for Christmas…so watch this space! We are also thrilled that our audiobook shop is now open and you can purchase Rachel’s two devotionals, Stepping Stones to Freedom and Pathway of Peace, on audiobook, featuring Rachel reading the books herself! So, November is a month of travel and touching the nations again. We so appreciate your prayer support for us! 

Our love and thanks – Rachel & Gordon Hickson with Helen Azer & Glenda Renes.

October 2011

WOW I cannot believe that a month can evaporate so quickly! It seems that September came and went before I really registered its arrival. However, despite this feeling I know that September DID exist as I have over 700 photos to prove it. Gordon and I had a wonderful break in South Africa and were amazed at the ease at which the itinerary we had organised all came together. It was a wonderful mixture of work and play and we loved every moment of our time.  We landed in Cape Town on the 29th August and took a few days sightseeing and were blessed with the cloud clearing for 2 hours at the top of Table Mountain so that we could see the view. We then drove to the Cape of Good Hope and climbed the lighthouse; watched penguins at Boulder Bay and thoroughly enjoyed the Botanical gardens full of flowering Proteas and magical plants. The weather was cool but we were able to enjoy every day.

Gordon had chosen some lovely hotels along the way to celebrate our 30th Wedding anniversary. We postponed our holiday to celebrate this event until later in the year as we so wanted to go to South Africa but did not want to go in winter! The highlight was 3 nights in Gomo Gomo lodge where we went on safari and saw elephants, rhino, Cape buffalo, lions, cheetahs, leopards and many more....it was fascinating and certainly addictive! Hence the hundreds of photos! However, we also had the opportunity to connect with some of the churches too. We met Phil Dooley and the Hillsong crowd in Cape Town and enjoyed worshipping with them on Sunday. We then ministered in Johannesburg with City Life Church and James Monaghan from Portland area – this was a fantastic time of ministering to their team and seeing lives changed through the church. Then we went to Pretoria visiting Hatfield Church and the Vial Triangle ministering at a Ladies conference and the River of Life church. It was a wonderful time. We returned home refreshed, relaxed and ready to go again and it has been busy since our return......already I have driven over a thousand miles in 10 days!

GORDON WRITES:

The week before we flew to South Africa, I finally began to see the jigsaw puzzle coming together that I have wrestled with for these last 8 months since leaving St Aldates. First I met with the Bishop of Oxford and he has agreed to licence me to work as an NSM minister in Cowley based at St James. That secures my role as a local church leader in an Islamic area, even though it comes unpaid! They know that I will be fully occupied in setting up the Mahabba Network across the UK, but are just really keen to have me as part of the team. 

Then I also finally went out to the States the week before we flew, to spend two days with OMS (One Mission Society) as they kept insisting that we belonged together!  I was astonished at their Kingdom perspective which I seldom meet in mission societies: as we talked, it became apparent that they are Kingdom builders and not interested in growing their own empire. The end result is that they really feel Mahabba is something they want to get behind, and they are willing to help me from next February to secure my own personal funding and then approach other foundations to secure funding for the growth of the Mahabba network. They would like to partner with us to birth “Mahabba Network International”.  They would help us with training,  funding, and seek to help us spread this model in time across Europe....and beyond!  

The main vision will be “ to motivate and mobilise ordinary Christians to reach their Muslim neighbours, and to mentor and multiply dynamic communities of disciples in Islamic neighbourhoods.”  They specialise in training people to develop self multiplying, self propagating discipleship groups.  So over the next few months I will be looking to raise the funding to run Mahabba Network International. I do believe God is encouraging me to pursue this as the churches in the UK are ill equipped to reach the thousands of Muslims in our neighbourhoods. Our six session “Friendship First” DVD Training package produced by the team here is now available to churches. 

OMS are not a fly-by-night outfit (110 years old) and have a substantial budget. Last year they birthed 4000 “house churches”, and saw 400,000 people come to Christ. One of the most touching moments was kneeling in front of Wesley Duewel, their 95 year old past President, who was still at his desk in shirt and tie at that age! He laid hands on me and prayed for God’s blessing on this little embryo of Mahabba. He spoke of his days in India where he invested his whole life: he was part of birthing 8 seminaries out of Allahabad, and a denomination called “Evangelical Churches of India” which now has 500,000 members. 

In October and November, I will be preaching in Norway at one of our favourite churches in Kristiansand, and at the DAWN conference in Stockholm and then spending 2 weeks in India travelling with Duncan Watkinson, before finally flying on to be Granddad in Sydney. We are both so looking forward to those weeks in Sydney.

HELEN WRITES:

Meanwhile, back at home it was a joy to gather with over 1000 leaders at Wembley Stadium for a day of prayer and preparation for London 2012 and hear about various plans to capitalise on the Olympics and take the opportunity to reach out to the nations who will be visiting London.  One such initiative, planned by a church in Leyton, just two miles from the Olympic site, is called “London’s Burning”.  We have got behind this project and are looking forward to being part of the team leading the Leyton Orient Stadium worship and prayer day on 27 May 2012, Pentecost Sunday next year.  We aim to have 10,000 believers together that day to light the fire in the spirit ahead of the Olympics!  For further details please visit www.londonsburning2012.org.uk where there is a powerful prophetic promotional video.  Why not plan to bring a group from your church and be part of the day?

This coming month we will be back on the road travelling up and down the country and also speaking at a national conference in Warsaw, Poland, as well as several local church meetings in Warsaw too.  Please do pray that we would have a word of life to bring to the hungry! 

Thank you for all your prayer and support!  

Our love and thanks – Rachel & Gordon Hickson with Helen Azer & Glenda Renes.

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July 2011 Hotline

We are writing to you this month from the USA where we are completing a ministry trip. We fly home on Thursday after a really fruitful month. This month has been busy! For most of the month we have been on the road, firstly in the UK and then in the USA. Helen took some time to be in Germany in early June and so I travelled by myself to several of the UK venues. It was strange to minister and travel without Helen’s practical and ministry support but I coped and remembered most things correctly but have enjoyed travelling together for this intensive time in the USA. I realise that travelling alone is much more stressful!

In the UK I had the privilege to speak in Purley to the staff of the Baptist church and then in the evening at the training school. It was so good to meet people of faith and courage demonstrating the love of Jesus in a very multicultural area of London. Then it was up north to Halifax where we connected the North West (Liverpool) and North East (Hull/Bridlington) together for a prayer day called The Lion’s Roar. Sue Sinclair organised this day and it was so great to see nearly 400 people together to pray for the day. The worship was great and there was a free flow of prophetic words, worship and prayer with speakers directing the focus of the day. I loved it. If you would like to hear the words please go to the watch the highlights on this YouTube link (www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAbo-Wgoukc). Then on Sunday I spoke at Ribble Valley Church just outside Preston, a new church that is full of vibrancy and life. In the afternoon we took the town centre Starbucks and had a Ladies’ Meeting and I was SO blessed to discover that last time I was in the church a lady in a wheelchair was totally healed. Today she is walking everywhere and vibrant! It was so good to see her well.

After a hectic weekend, on the Monday we went to Watford and Gordon and I taught at the CML missions’ school. The students were hungry for the presence of God and it was a delight to teach them. After teaching all morning we spent the afternoon meeting people from our Watford days and were touched to hear the stories of the goodness of God seen in the churches and many projects growing in Watford. It was so exciting to meet the people and know that the churches, community and commerce are coming together in Watford to bring change!

Helen started the month in Germany where she was an official representative of the Church of England at the German ‘Kirchentag’ festival. This is a bi-annual event which took place in Dresden this time and saw 120,000 visitors from across the German Protestant churches gather for five days of worship, teaching, lectures, political debates, concerts, art exhibitions and youth events. It is a unique event, partly under-written by the German government and at which German politicians, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, schedule time to speak, take part in debates or lead Bible studies. It is a fascinating gathering and was very moving this year as it took place in a former Communist East German city where only 20 years ago any type of Christian expression on such a large scale would have been unthinkable.

It was then time for Helen and I to fly to the USA. We flew into LA and then drove up to Ventura on the coast to visit a new church led by some great friends from the Seattle area. We had a fantastic time leading their church prayer meeting, taking part in their Encounter weekend and then preaching on Sunday morning. Whenever I am in California I have such a sense that this state which has been despised and denigrated by so many in the USA is destined to lead the way and reverse the curse of some of its ungodly choices. Looking back in history this is the state which birthed the Azusa Street revival, which saw Amy Semple McPherson and the Vineyard movement move in signs and wonders and healings. So it was a joy to speak into this state again and encourage the Church to be a voice of influence which prepares the way for another move of God.

We then travelled on to Turlock, choosing to use our free days to drive the scenic way through Yosemite National Park with its stunning forest, waterfalls and lakes. In Turlock we had the joy of being back in Harvest Christian Center Church and speaking at their prayer school. We loved seeing hungry people grow in their understanding and authority in prayer and realise that they are made both for intimate communion with God as well as warfare intercession to execute the Father’s will and plan. We also had the privilege of being in the church on the Sunday, Father’s Day, and speaking at the two morning services.

Taking the scenic route again we drove through Napa Valley and up to Roseville. It was such a joy to be back with Impact Church for a Face2Face evening to share about our ministry and missions projects. We then spent the weekend with The Family Church for their Festival of Joy conference, celebrating prophetic worship and the arts. We enjoyed the atmosphere of abandoned worship and joy and spoke on what biblical joy truly looks like and how we can become those who release the atmosphere of God into the community and bring transformation.

After a very full weekend we woke up at 3.30am on the Monday to catch our flight out of California to Wisconsin where we have been this last week. I had been invited to be the speaker at the American Baptist renewal stream’s annual summer conference, organised by Holy Spirit Renewal Ministries. We were delighted to be with 500 or so Baptists pastors and church leaders and loved their hunger and passion. We developed a series with them starting with God’s call to raise up his warriors and give them strength where they have grown weary, right through to learning to become the mouthpiece of God into the community and nation to bring change. We shared about some of the incredible things God is doing in the Middle East and how God cannot resist the wilderness and specialises in bringing breakthrough in those tough places. We exhorted them to seize the opportunity to embrace the seasons of change in the USA and make these times to go in the opposite spirit and model outrageous generosity and courage. We shared how we felt it is time for America to usher in a ‘re-formation’ where the foundations are re-established and society is touched and radically changed. In the next months we will be sharing more about the vision for a day of remembrance on 11 November (11/11/11) this year where America recalls its roots.

Thanks so much for your prayer and encouragement!

Our love and thanks – Rachel & Gordon Hickson, Helen Azer and Glenda Renes.

June 2011 Hotline

Thank you for praying for us during our busy month of May when we were on the road so much. We were blessed with easy travel connections in spite of the ash cloud, a wonderful sense of God’s presence in meetings and some excellent time with our supporters and partners in the USA.

We left the UK on 29th April, the day of the Royal Wedding. We were able to watch Prince William and Kate Middleton exchange their vows on a TV screen in Heathrow airport before boarding our flight to LA. Once we arrived in the USA we then caught up on the rest of the day’s historic moments. As we watched the moment the future King of England married his beautiful bride, the Holy Spirit spoke to me about the privilege of being part of a Kingdom, one that cannot be shaken! Being in the USA where much of the media was distressed that we should call Kate a ‘commoner’, I realised that in the UK we understand the language of Kingdom so much more: by calling Kate a commoner we simply acknowledge that she has no royal blood. In the same way, all of us are commoners or sinners before we ‘marry’ and give our lives to the Prince of Peace. And yet, we have turned the head of the King of Kings and He counts us worthy to be His Bride. Like Kate, it is our covenant commitment to the King of Heaven which changes our status. Through covenant we gain Kingdom authority and become co-heirs with Christ. When Kate walked into the abbey no one saluted her, but on her exit with the future King everyone acknowledged her – she was no longer a commoner. Kate now has authority in the royal household and so do we once joined to Christ. In the same way, although a commoner by birth, it is impossible for Kate to give birth to a commoner; she will only birth royal princes and princesses. It is the same for us: once we carry God’s Word we never birth anything but Kingdom “children” as we are now connected with the King of Heaven. We no longer carry the ordinary but extraordinary, no longer just natural but supernatural! So why not reflect on the richness of imagery and illustration in this Royal Wedding and let God fill you with a deeper sense of gratitude and wonder for what He has done in taking a commoner to be His Bride!

So, having landed in LA we drove to Santa Maria for the first weekend at Church for Life where we spoke at a ladies’ meeting on the power of spiritual motherhood. We also spoke at the weekend services and an informal gathering with the pastoral and leadership team. We loved this new connection and look forward to future partnership. From here we flew up to Seattle and to a Board meeting and a wonderful couple of Face2Face evenings where we share more intimately and openly about our mission’s projects and breadth of our ministry in the nations. We have been so encouraged by the response to these evenings and are delighted that others of you are also now offering to host these partners’ gatherings.

We then travelled to Aberdeen, WA, and spent a prophetic teaching weekend with River of Life Church. It was so good to be back there and we were blessed to be able to see the impact of the Word both preached and prophesied. We also celebrated American Mother’s Day with them and spoke into the importance of mentors and role models, and the necessity of mothers and fathers to shepherd the families and communities as so many in our neighbourhoods seek those who will give them guidance and security.

After a few days back in Seattle, travelling to Rainer Hills, connecting with Dan Hammer and the Sonrise church and other God appointments we then travelled to our final conference in Roseville, CA, with another new contact. Here we spoke at their women’s conference and weekend services at Impact Church. Again the presence of Jesus was powerfully present as we ministered to the ladies. They had chosen the title “Doors and Windows” and so we spoke into the areas of “DOORS of Opportunity,” the effective DOOR for the gospel and the WINDOWS of blessing and signs and wonders! So many in California have suffered in this current economic crisis but it was wonderful to watch how God encouraged His ladies with new courage and comfort in this season. We look forward to connecting with Impact Church in June for a Face2Face evening.

We have just returned in the last day from a five day trip in Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland. In Aberdeen, Scotland, we were delighted to be part of the Vivacious women’s conference and managed to fit this in before flying on to Dublin where the Queen had just completed her historic visit. Having worked in Ireland and Northern Ireland for so many years, it was so very encouraging and moving to see the change which has taken place and how wonderfully Dublin was able to embrace the British monarch’s visit. While there is so much turmoil in so many parts of the world, it is heartening to witness a nation which is overcoming its painful past and moving forward in forgiveness. Here we were delighted to minister at Dundrum Methodist Church and then on the Sunday at St Mark’s where Rachel preached prophetically on the Gift of Time. We then drove up o Ballymena where we ministered at High Kirk Presbyterian church and had a great evening of ministry with the women on Monday evening as well as time with the prayer ministry team and staff leadership team.

So, this month has been busy! As we write, Rachel and Gordon are preparing to spend the Bank Holiday weekend down in Dorset leading a prayer conference then having some family time on bank holiday Monday while Helen flies to Germany on Friday for a few days’ retreat and rest before attending the Kirchentag conference as a Church of England representative.

Thanks so much for your prayer and encouragement! I would also value your prayer for my family. My dad, Alan Vincent, now 80, has been suffering with various health challenges. First he experienced rapid vision loss due to wet macular degeneration that has severely altered his lifestyle and more recently has been in hospital with urinary and kidney problems. He is now at home again but is still under care for various symptoms. Please pray for them as they are great heroes in the faith and I know this is a challenging season. They are hoping to go on vacation in Spain but they just got caught in the hurricane in Dallas Fort Worth airport and have had to return home and wait for another flight. All this is exhausting and draining. So I would value your prayer! THANK YOU!!

Our love and thanks – Rachel & Gordon Hickson, Helen Azer and Glenda Renes.